Catholics in Western Oregon can return to mass on a limited basis beginning this weekend as Archbishop Alexander K. Sample of the Archdiocese of Portland announced Tuesday that churches will re-open.What's intriguing is that the governor of Oregon, Kate Brown, has been one of the most prominent hardliners on lockdowns and stay-at-home orders.Sample announced some details of the re-opening plan on the archdiocese’s Facebook page.
Catholic churches in Oregon, including the Archdiocese of Baker that oversees Eastern Oregon, have cancelled masses since March 17 due to coronavirus outbreak. There are 152 Catholic churches in Western Oregon.
Sample offered limited details, as churches are working out plans. He said not all parishes will be open for Saturday evening and Sunday masses this weekend. Masses are limited to a maximum of 25 people inside the church.
On Friday [May 1], Oregon Gov. Kate Brown signed an executive order that extends the state of emergency in response to the COVID-19 outbreak through July 6.The policy of Multnomah County, which includes Portland, is outlined here. (The latest information on Multnomah County, population 812,855, is that it has had 754 cases and 46 deaths, the most by far in Oregon).The governor first declared a state of emergency March 8 and it was set to expire May 7. Extending the state of emergency for Oregon does not mean that Brown has extended the stay-home order, which is a separate order from the state of emergency.
. . . Brown's stay-home order, which is separate from the state of emergency and was issued March 23, does not have a designated end date. The executive order states that it will remain in effect "until terminated by the governor."
On March 23, Governor Kate Brown issued an order directing everyone in Oregon to stay at home unless absolutely necessary. The order is effective immediately, and remains in effect until ended by the governor.Travel to religious services is not listed as an allowed activity. Another list prohibits "Social gatherings (parties, celebrations) with people from outside of your household".
- Go out only for essentials (groceries, medical care)
- Stay at least 6 feet from others any time you are out
- Gatherings of members of the same residential household are allowed
As far as I can see, Abp Sample is authorizing the Archdiocese of Portland to resume public masses, with attendance limited to 25 people, basically ignoring the governor's policy, which is clearly intended to continue in effect indefinitely.
It appears that this approach to lockdown orders is growing across the US and is now being tacitly adopted by at least one Roman Catholic archbishop. I'll be interested in continuing developments, but pretty clearly, law enforcement can be sent to arrest individual freelance Protestant pastors, but shutting down a Catholic mass will be a very different matter.
